'Number Of Threats Against Members Of Congress Has Soared': Susan Collins Calls For More Capitol Cops

Forbes Breaking News

During a Senate Appropriations Committee business meeting on Thursday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) spoke about threats against elected officials.

Transcript

00:00This meeting of the full Appropriations Committee is called to order.

00:06Today, the committee will consider the following fiscal year 2026 bills,

00:14Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, better known as CJS,

00:21Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies,

00:28and the Legislative Branch Appropriations.

00:33Following my opening remarks and those of Vice Chair Murray's,

00:39we will vote on reporting the three bills.

00:43After those votes, each subcommittee will discuss its work with presentations from the chairs and the vice chairs,

00:54and we will consider any amendments to each bill.

00:59I mentioned that procedure for our newer members because it is opposite the way most committees proceed.

01:10Let me begin my remarks this morning by thanking Vice Chair Murray for her leadership,

01:17and to all the members of the committee, committee staff, and to our subcommittee leaders,

01:25Senators Moran and Van Hollen of the CJS subcommittee,

01:31Senators Hoven and Shaheen of the Agriculture subcommittee,

01:37and Senators Mullen and Heinrich of the Legislative Branch subcommittee.

01:42Each of them has worked very hard, along with their staffs,

01:49to prepare fiscally responsible, bipartisan bills that meet pressing national needs.

01:57When Vice Chair Murray and I took the helm of this committee during the last Congress,

02:04we committed to working together to get this committee back to the business

02:09of writing bills, having open sessions,

02:14holding many hearings,

02:17and advancing them through regular order,

02:20so that Senators have a voice in their development.

02:25I very much appreciate her continued commitment to an appropriations process that works.

02:33Our members have been busy for months

02:36analyzing the President's budget requests,

02:39holding dozens of hearings,

02:42reviewing the input of other Senators,

02:45and drafting the legislation before us today.

02:49Ninety-two Senators contributed to the three bills we will consider today,

02:57submitting more than 6,500 requests.

03:03Let me repeat that one more time.

03:05Ninety-two Senators submitted 6,500 requests,

03:12each of which was carefully reviewed by the subcommittees.

03:18These member-driven bills are a product of that intensive effort.

03:23They fund important priorities, including agricultural research,

03:28food and medical product safety,

03:31law enforcement priorities related to counterterrorism and fentanyl,

03:36and legislative branch offices that support Congress

03:40as we carry out our constitutional duties.

03:45There is no doubt that this is a challenging legislative environment.

03:50We are currently operating under a year-long continuing resolution.

03:57The delays in completing the fiscal year 2025 process

04:01and the fact that we are in the first year of a new administration

04:06contributed to a late budget request from OMB.

04:11So this has made it more difficult for the committee.

04:16But I would point out that this scenario was not unprecedented.

04:22In previous years, the Congress proceeded under the same pressures

04:27and chose to move ahead with bipartisan bills.

04:31I urge my colleagues to follow a similar path

04:36and to do so with a renewed commitment to advancing bills,

04:41not only through committee, but also across the Senate floor.

04:47And both myself and others on this committee,

04:52including Senator McConnell,

04:55have been strong advocates for that approach.

04:58I briefly want to discuss the bills we will consider today,

05:02each of which is a product of collaboration

05:05and good faith negotiation,

05:08and highlight why expeditiously processing these bills

05:13must be a priority for the Senate.

05:18The fiscal year 2026 CJS bill

05:22supports our state and local law enforcement,

05:25including through the burn formula program

05:28that supports a range of activities

05:31from prosecution to crime prevention.

05:35The bill also funds research

05:38in critical scientific and technological fields.

05:43Moreover, it supports our oceans, fisheries,

05:46and weather programs that are enormously important.

05:50The fiscal year 2026 Agriculture and FDA Appropriations Bill

05:56supports our farmers and rural communities,

06:01the safety of our food supply,

06:04critical federal nutrition programs,

06:07and medical research and advancements.

06:10The bill provides the increases

06:12to support the administration's requests

06:16in the areas of food safety and rural housing.

06:19It supports much-needed investments

06:22in agricultural research

06:25and animal and plant health

06:27that were requested by nearly every member in this room.

06:32The fiscal year 2026 legislative branch bill

06:37provides funding for Congress

06:39and the offices and agencies

06:42that support our critical work.

06:44The bill also provides an increase

06:47for the Capitol Police

06:49to help them meet the expanding mission requirements

06:53to keep members, staff, and visitors

06:56to the Capitol complex safe.

06:59The number of threats against members of Congress

07:02has soared over the past few years.

07:07This bill reflects a bipartisan commitment

07:10to address security concerns.

07:13Again, I want to thank the vice chair

07:16and all the members of this committee,

07:20but particularly our ranking members

07:23and chairs for the bills before us today.

07:27We still have a long way to go,

07:30and we'll have to work together

07:31to construct additional bills

07:34that can receive bipartisan support.

07:37But today's markup is an essential

07:41and positive step forward.

07:44I now would like to recognize Vice Chair Murray

07:47for any comments that she would like to make.

07:51here in action,

07:52so we are going to have some

08:11on desaprov約.

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